Over the past few decades, there have been fantastic action-packed movies that leave us wanting more. It comes as no surprise that the studios wanted to capitalize on the success of their movies. What better way to do that than turning them into the next big video game?
Unfortunately, not all that success carried over from film to video game adaptation. Some of them were great ideas but were executed poorly or just didn't click with fans. That’s not to say that there aren't great games because there have been some incredible adaptations from some of the biggest box office hits.
10 Die Hard Trilogy
The Die Hard series is easily one of the most action-packed and highly received series, especially from the first three installments. This led Fox Interactive and the game studio Probe Entertainment to work on a three-in-one game for the Die Hard movies.
It came with massive success as fans loved the 3 games released for the PlayStation in 1996. All three games were different genres with the first two games staying true to the film's plot.
The first game is a third-person shooter focused on fighting terrorists and rescuing hostages in Nakatomi Plaza, and the second is a shoot-em-up game fighting terrorists in Dulles Airport, but the third is where the game differs from the first two. In Die Hard 3 you drive around in different vehicles looking to defuse bombs before they go off.
9 Transformers: The Game
Transformers are one of the most instantly recognizable franchises that have spawned numerous toys, comics, shows, movies, and games. It may come as no surprise that a game was made after the release of the 2007 live-action film.
The game allows you to choose between the Autobot or Deception factions, who have arrived on Earth to find the AllSpark. This game is a third-person shooter action-adventure game with some racing involved.
It was released on seven different platforms and saw mixed reviews due to a few of the platform's gameplay, like the Wii and PSP, being very different from the other games.
8 Rambo
Sylvester Stallone is known for bringing many iconic movie characters to life. It was his part as John Rambo in First Blood: Part 2 that spawned the series' first video game in 1985.
Released on the Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC, this shoot-em-up game saw Rambo taking on enemies while trying to rescue hostages and extract from enemy territory.
Starting with basic weapons you take out enemies to gain points and can find many more weapons throughout the game. Heavily inspired by Capcom’s Commando, this game was highly praised for its gameplay.
7 King Kong
Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie is based on the 2005 film. This action-adventure game allows you to play as both the main character Jack Driscoll and King Kong.
In King Kong, you make your way through Skull Island as Jack or King Kong, trying to rescue Ann Darrow from being sacrificed by the island's natives. When you play as Jack you play in first-person and when you switch to King Kong you play in third-person.
This game released on nine different platforms was a massive hit and was praised for the different perspectives you played between the two main characters.
6 Aliens vs Predator
The Aliens vs Predator game is a first-person shooter released for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 in 2010. This game received mixed reviews but seems to be better received than the movie.
In this game, you have three different campaigns because you can play as three different factions. You can choose between aliens, the Predator, or marines.
Each has a different starting point, its unique abilities, and a different array of weapons and fighting styles, and there is a multiplayer version that allows all three factions to compete in various game modes.
5 Zombieland: Double Tap - Road Trip
Zombieland: Double Tap - Road Trip is based on the Zombieland movies and was released in 2019 for the PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. This game is a top-down shoot-em-up that takes place between the first and second films.
You can play as the four main characters of the movie and even as other unlockable characters, you have an assortment of weapons and can upgrade character stats between levels.
While a game about zombies sounds like an instant hit, this game was negatively received for its short length and gameplay among a few other things.
4 The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay
There are many book-to-film adaptions and The Chronicles of Riddick is one of those that also received the video game adaptation. One thing that makes this game stand apart from the films is it’s a prequel to the first film, "Pitch Black".
This sci-fi game is a mix between action, adventure, and stealth, and it follows Vin Diesel's character, Richard B. Riddick, as he escapes from a maximum security prison known as Butcher Bay.
This game was highly praised by fans even calling it one of the best games ever made.
3 Bad Boys: Miami Takedown
Bad Boys 1 and 2 were massive hits so a video game continuing the story sounded like a great idea. Released in 2004 for PC, PS2, GameCube, and the Xbox this game takes place after the events of Bad Boys 2.
You go through five different acts as the two main characters, Marcus and Mike, are involved in a police chase that presents pure action as you try and take down a gang.
However, Bad Boys: Miami Takedown wasn’t well received and is considered to be one of the worst movie games.
2 Mad Max
The original Mad Max gained a following, and it’s no surprise when Mad Max: Fury Road featuring Tom Hardy came out it was a massive hit. Continuing its success Mad Max the video game was released in 2015 for the Ps4, Xbox One, and PC.
The game is set in the same universe as the film series and the developers consulted Mad Max creator George Miller for his input on the game. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, this action-adventure game follows the main character Max as he searches for fuel.
In this game, there is plenty of driving, action, and quests. You can deck out your car with weapons, visit friendly strongholds, and fight in both vehicle and hand-to-hand combat. While the game was met with mixed reviews by critics, it was positively received by players.
1 The Warriors
The Warriors is a beat-em-up video game based on the 1979 cult classic movie of the same name. Released in 2005 for the PS2 and Xbox this game follows the same storyline as the movie.
The main objective is for the gang known as The Warriors to try to make their way back to their hideout, after being accused of murdering another gang leader. To do that, you have to brawl through the streets of New York trying to get back to Coney Island.
This game was highly received for its melee combat and gameplay. It even features voice acting from some of the original cast.